Defending Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has not ruled out challenging for the 2020 Giro d'Italia, but admitted that his primary goal is to return to France and that he is not worried about his share of the leadership.

At the 2020 Tour de France route presentation in Paris on Tuesday, the Colombian seemed impressed with ASO's next three weeks of race routes.

The 2020 Tour will feature only 36 kilometers of time trials, all of which will be crammed into the final stage, in the form of a mountain time trial. There will be no flatland time trial or team time trial, and ASO has chosen to fill the entire race with summit finishes and intermediate mountain stages.

"It will be a good course for climbers because there is one time trial and the last part of the race is really hard," Bernal told Cycling News and other media after Christian Prudhomme announced next year's route.

"There are some really steep climbs, really hard climbs, and I think people will attack. That's a good thing and it will be a good tool to watch on TV."

Bernal and his Team Ineos team have been busy picking potential leaders for next year's race. In addition to the Colombians, the team includes four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, 2018 winner Geraint Thomas, and newcomer Richard Kalapas, who won this year's Giro d'Italia.

The biggest challenge facing team management and boss Dave Brailsford will be how to divide the unbeatable resources next season. Thomas has hinted at a return to the Giro, and Froome has already claimed that Bernal is willing to work for him next July.

Bernal was as lost as possible in Paris, reluctant to call himself the undisputed Tour leader and suggesting that the Tour de France route needs to be fully analyzed before any team policy decisions are made.

"First of all, we need to decide if we are going to go to the Tour. There are some really good riders who can win the Tour. I need to calm down and talk to the team and Dave and analyze the parcours."

"I want to come back to the Tour next year, but I also have respect for the Giro and Vuelta. I want to see what the team decides. I am the last winner and I want to come back. I would be happy to come back with number one on my back. It's not just me, there are other riders on the team.

Asked if he is worried about going into the Tour de France as the sole leader of Team Ineos, Bernal replied: "No, I am not worried. Last year I didn't compete as sole leader, but I won.

"But there are other races. First I have to decide whether to go to the Tour or the Giro. Both are very beautiful races. I have a lot of respect for the three Grand Tours, both the Giro and the Vuelta. But the truth is, I'm not going to make a decision for fear of not being the leader.